Methods of measuring biodiversity Biodiversity index

Methods of measuring biodiversity, Biodiversity index, hotspots of biodiversity

1. Methods of measuring Biodiversity Lekhan Lodhi Research Scholar Department of Zoology DHSGSU ©Lekhan 1

2. Biodiversity Biodiversity is the number and variety of organisms found in a specific region Total number of species on Earth range from 5 million to 100 million. Preserving and protecting individual species and the ecosystems they inhabit are critical to maintaining biodiversity on Earth. ©Lekhan 2

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6. How Do Scientists Measure Biodiversity? Scientists use several methods to measure biodiversity. These include canopy fogging, quadrat sampling, transect sampling, and netting. The method used depends on the types of organisms ecologists are counting and on the habitat. ©Lekhan 6

7. Methods of Measuring Biodiversity ©Lekhan 7

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9. Documenting Biodiversity and Its Distribution To protect Earth’s biodiversity, scientists need a system for recording the identity of each species and where it exists. Museums house many collections of preserved specimens, such as the insects shown in Fig., as a record of Earth’s biodiversity As well as including specimens from recent investigations—such as insects from canopy fogging—they also contain many specimens from early explorations, some hundreds of years old. Th e Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa and the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto have massive collections of biological specimens from all over the world. ©Lekhan 9

10. Since most ecosystems are now influenced by human activities, it is helpful for land-use planners to know the locations of different species, especially rare or sensitive ones. Computer databases can handle huge volumes of such records. ©Lekhan 10

11. Hotspots of Biodiversity In analyzing the distribution of the world’s biodiversity, ecologists have found that there are “hotspots” of diversity. A biodiversity hotspot is a place where there is an exceptionally large number of species in a relatively small area ©Lekhan 11

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